South Sudan: Archbishop prays at site of murdered church workers in Bor

Monday 3rd February 2014

Archbishop Justin prayed with Archbishop Daniel Deng at mass graves awaiting the burial of church-workers recently murdered in the ongoing conflict, reports the Revd Joanna Udal, the Archbishop's secretary for Anglican Communion affairs, who was travelling with him in South Sudan

Archbishop Justin speaks to South Sudan TV at Bor church compound, Bor, South Sudan, Friday 31 January 2014.

The Archbishop of Canterbury on Friday prayed at the site in Bor where church-workers were recently murdered.

Aid workers have repeatedly reported horrific atrocities committed by both sides in the conflict.

Archbishop Justin Welby, who is on a five-day visit to Anglican leaders in the region, travelled with the Archbishop of South Sudan and Sudan, Daniel Deng, to the church compound where atrocities were recently committed against pastors, lay readers and women’s workers taking refuge there.

Together with Archbishop Daniel (pictured right), Archbishop Justin prayed at the mass grave awaiting the burial of the bodies.

Speaking afterwards, Archbishop Justin said: “What we saw today in Bor was truly devastating. The truth must be established, the victims recognised and the suffering acknowledged. Establishing the truth has to be the first step towards reconciliation. We are called to tell the truth in love.

“We need to grow closer to Jesus Christ. Only Jesus Christ can change the situation and change human hearts. His own prayer was ‘Father forgive’. The promise of the Holy Spirit warms in us the love of those who do us harm.”

Following the visit, the Archbishop tweeted a picture of ransacked streets in Bor: